It Gets Better
by PeetaxKatnissx13RW
Summary: Katniss might be pregnant again. But,she and Peeta are both scared since pregnancies can be life threatening in Katniss' case.Probably going to be super emotional,so be warned. Was rated T, but changed to M because I pictured Peeta Mellark naked...
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N:** I know,I know. I have like 6 million stories to update. But I think this might be a nice change of pace. Something different,something with the kids. I haven't written anything with Adara or Orion in it in forever,and I seriously miss them. So,here we go. Another story for me to worry about. Oye Vey,what am I getting myself into..._

**Peeta**

"Kat,stop pacing,please? Just calm down."

"Calm down? You want me to calm down,Peeta! I might be pregnant again thanks to you!" Katniss snapped. This is bad. We agreed after Orion was born we wouldn't have any more kids. I knew how bad Katniss felt when she was pregnant,actually if we weren't careful,it could be dangerous. The Games and the war had apparently taken more of a toll on her body then either of us had thought. Her doctor told us repeatedly while she was pregnant with Adara and Orion that over exerting herself could,well...I don't exactly like thinking about it. Lets just say,things could go from bad to worse in a matter of seconds.

"Katniss,it's not my fault the condom broke. I'm sorry,ok?" I asked,trying to be sympathetic. It was obvious she was terrified,and I know she didn't want it to show. She had tears in her eyes.

"I know...it's just...I'm scared." Her voice broke at the end of her sentence. I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around her.

"It;s ok,Kat. I got you...I got you." I whispered,running my fingers through her hair. She cried into my shoulder and I tried to comfort her until the timer went off. When it did,she pulled back and I wiped her eyes gently with my finger.

"Can you check it?" She whispered. I nodded and kissed her forehead,going back into the bathroom,leaving her where we were standing in the doorway.

Sure enough,there were 2 distinct lines. Katniss was pregnant again. I turned back toward the door.

"It's positive,isn't it?" she whispered,tucking her hair behind her ear. My hands fell to my sides.

"I'm sorry,Kat." I whispered. This time it was me who broke down crying. I fell against the door and slid down to the floor. I felt responsible,and completely powerless. Katniss and the kids,if there was anything they couldn't fix themselves,I was always the one they turned to. But this was something I knew I couldn't fix.

**Katniss**

"Peeta...it's...it's ok. We can figure it out..." I whispered,sitting down next to Peeta on the bathroom floor.

"I'm just worried about you. I can't risk loosing you again." His voice broke as he talked,making it harder and hared to understand him.

"I'm not going anywhere,Peeta." I squeezed his hand "I promise."

"But Katn-" I kissed him mid sentence. When I pulled back I looked him directly in the eye. "I promise. He sighed and wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve.

"We better get going,if we're going to pick the kids up from school on time." I stood up and pulled him up with me. Before I let him leave the bathroom,I pulled him into a deep kiss.

When we got outside and in the car,Peeta looked over at me from the drivers side and took my hand in his.

"You still love me. Real or not real?" He asked. I looked in his worried eyes and told him, "real. Always." and kissed him one more time before we picked the kids up.

_**A/N: **So,what do you think? Kinda short,I know. But I think I actually managed something super emotional for a change. Please,please,please tell me what you think! (:_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Peeta**_

I woke up with a start,Katniss was still next to me,but shaking and crying uncontrollably.

"Kat?" I whispered,and put my hand on her shoulder. No response. She must still be asleep. I lightly shook her arm. Still nothing. I pulled myself up against the headboard,then pulled her up,hoping she would wake up soon.

"Kat...Katniss,I got you." I whispered in her ear. The 2 minutes it took until she finally woke up felt like an eternity to me. I needed her to know she was ok,and I was right here.

"P-Peeta..." Katniss whispered in between her rapid breathing. Slowly easing her arms up to wrap around my neck. I,in turn,tightened my grip on her waist.

I held her tight as she calmed down. "It's ok. We're all alive...we're all safe." I whispered, moving my head to rest on her shoulder. "Haymitch is next door...the kids are across the hall...I'm right here..." I kissed her neck gently.

"The...The kids..." Katniss whispered,pulling back to look me in the eye.

"They're safe. Adara and Orion are both asleep in their beds." I whispered back,still holding eye contact. She still looked unsure. Whatever happened in that nightmare really shook her up. "Come on." I slid off the bed and held my hand out. She took it and I helped her up.

Orion's room was closest,I slowly opened his door and leaned against the frame. Through the dim light of his nightlight,I noticed a faint hint of a smile forming on Katniss's face. His stuffed teddy bear had fallen off the bed,along with his old baby blanket. I leaned down to pick up the bear while Katniss picked up the blanket. She draped the blanket over our tiny 6 year old boy and I tucked the bear under his arm. It might have been the light playing tricks on me,but I think I might have seen him smile.

Adara's room was right next door. Her room was dark,except for the small amount of moonlight coming in through the window. Katniss put her head on my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. For a second,watching my 10 year old daughter,took me back to those nights in the cave with Katniss during the first Hunger Games. Being on guard during the Quell and the war. Watching her sleep-the only even remotely happy memories I have from that long ago. Adara reminded me so much of Katniss it hurt.

"Lets go." Katniss' voice broke through my thoughts. I nodded and slowly closed the door. We went back to our bedroom,and the rest of the night was dreamless and peaceful.

_**Katniss**_

When the alarm went off the next morning,I was ready to throw it out the window. Getting up meant facing the day,and that was the last thing I wanted to do. Peeta and I managed to sleep for about 20 minutes after the alarm before the kids came in,urging us to get up. We couldn't exactly leave a 10 year old and a 6 year old to fend for themselves. Not morally and in our right minds,anyway. We reluctantly got up to get Adara and Orion fed and off to school.

"Mommy,Daddy,why did you come in my room last night?" Orion asked as Peeta gave him his pancakes.

"Just to check on you. You dropped your bear and your blanket,so we picked them up." Peeta answered,ruffling Orion's hair.

"Yeah,I know." Orion giggled before digging into his breakfast.

"Speaking of checking on people-you ok,Mom? You were acting really weird yesterday." Adara asked.

"I'm ok,sweetie. We'll explain it after you two get home,when we know more." I told her,hoping she would leave it at that.

"You better hurry up,kids. Haymitch should be here to pick you up any second."

Haymitch always takes the kids to school. He usually has something to do on the way,like pick up goose food,which he never seems to have enough of.

After the kids left,Peeta tried to keep me busy for the next 2 hours before my emergency doctors appointment. Nothing worked,though. Lucky for me,9 o'clock came before the corny bread jokes.

_**Peeta**_

By the time we were physically _at_ the doctor's office,Katniss had completely shut down. Really,she just shook her head and kept my hand in a death grip. But she seemed to relax a little by the time she got called back,or maybe she just gave up completely.

Dr. Penn met us in his office. And I mean his office as in the one with the desk and a few chairs. He skipped over the small talk,and got right to the point.

"Do either of you know what you want to do?" He asked,leaning forward at his desk. Instinctively,I wrapped my arm around Katniss. She seemed to appreciate it from the look she gave me.

"We talked it over and plan to do the same thing we did last time." I replied,trying to sound as _'I mean it' _as possible.

"And I take it there will be no persuading you otherwise?" He asked,eying Katniss this time.

"No,there won't." Katniss hissed. "We told you years ago that were going to keep to the way we've always done things in District 12."

Dr. Penn is originally from the Capitol,and Katniss has always made a point of making him feel unwelcome. She still hasn't exactly gotten over healers getting pushed out after the war,with doctors being more available to everyone.

"Ok then. As long as you know your options-"

"We aren't changing our minds." I was the one cutting him off this time. It was Katniss' decision,and whatever that was,I would stand by it.

"Very well." He sighed as he got up and led us out of the room.

_**A/N: **Cliffhanger! Ok,I really just got stuck after that. Typing some things just makes me uncomfortable. Don't judge. Anyway,should get to updating soon,but I'm trying to make the rounds lately,updating everything here and there. So,this should be interesting. But feel free to leave suggestions,because I have no idea where this is going xD_


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: **I'm going to apologize about my grammar lately...I'm stressed. It's actually really embarrassing,because I'm in Honors English (which is too easy) and both my mom and both grandmas were teachers. So just forgive me,and as long as you can fix it in your head,we'll all be fine,right? Even though I'm not planning on making any more major errors._

_***EDIT-** I'm going to try re-updating this. Nobody reviewed the new chapter so I'm just going to assume that fanfic messed something up and you all weren't ignoring me..._

_**Peeta**_

Dr. Penn leaves us alone in ultrasound across the hall. It doesn't take a genius too see that he isn't happy about our decision. No,_Katniss's _decision. I had nothing to do with it. She's convinced she can handle it. Finally,after about 20 minutes,a stressed looking ultrasound tech comes it. She smiles at us,but I can tell Dr. Penn has been venting to everyone at his office. She just goes through the motions,and Katniss finally tells her that explaining everything isn't necessary,naming Adara and Orion. This seems to come as a relief,and the room stays silent for a few minutes.

"Everything looks normal so far..." The tech says finally,still intently studying the monitor. "and by the looks of it,I'd say you're only about 10 weeks along." She looks over at Katniss and I. Katniss has my hand in a death grip,but still looks outwardly calm. I can only imagine what I look like,probably along the line of what I _am_- a nervous-wreck,father of 2,with another on the way. She looks at me and shakes her head. Suspicions confirmed. She switches off the machine and hands Katniss a paper towel.

"I'm sorry about Dr. Penn. He's had a busy day-really had to squeeze you two in." The woman explains,handing me a few printouts.

"It's not a big deal,we've gotten rather used to him." Katniss responds,shaking her hand,as the tech leaves the room.

I flip through the cards as Katniss wipes her stomach off. At least the pictures from the sonogram would make telling Haymitch and the kids a little easier.

_**Katniss**_

"I think we should tell Haymitch today." I said as we walked out to the car.

"The kids,too. We're going to have to tell them sooner or later. Might be easier all at once." Peeta added,as he turned the key in the ignition.

"Yes,probably. Maybe go over to Haymitch's house after we pick the kids up?" I asked,glancing at the clock. School always let out early on Fridays,and it was about time to get the kids,anyway.

As Peeta pulled up to the curb at the front of the school,I noticed both kids walking out the door.

"Just in time." I said,as the kids ran toward the car. Peeta smiled and unlocked the car.

"Hi,Mommy! Hi,Daddy!" Orion chirped as he climbed into his car seat. Adara said the same as she buckled herself in.

"Hi guys." Peeta and I said as we pulled out of the parking space.

When we pulled up out front of Haymitch's house,they were both confused.

"Why are we at Grandpa Haymitch's house..." Adara asked.

_**Peeta**_

"We've got something we have to tell all of you." I answered. I looked at Katniss,who suddenly looked nervous. I took her hand and squeezed it lightly,and she smiled slightly. Orion ran up to the door and knocked,Adara following close behind. I kissed Katniss's cheek quickly before following the kids up the stairs.

"What are you all doing here?" Haymitch asked,picking up Orion,surprised by our arriving at his doorstep.

"Mommy and Daddy have something to tell us." Orion said.

"Oh really?" Haymitch replied,leading us into his kitchen. The kids raided his stash of cookies before joining the rest of us at the rest of us at the table.

"So,what is it you wanted to tell us?" Haymitch asked,pulling Orion back in his seat, since he had eaten all his cookies.

"Well..."Katniss started,as I pulled the pictures out of my back pocket,putting the small stack face down on the table. Orion immediately reached across the table,but Adara smacked his hand. I slid the pictures to Haymitch who held Orion off with one hand,while examining the first of the pictures with the other.

"Orion,come here." I told him,and he reluctantly obeyed. I pulled him up onto my lap to keep him out of trouble.

"This isn't a joke,is it? Because if it is,you two have a sick sense of humor." Haymitch finally said.

"No...I really am pregnant." Katniss whispered. I put my free hand on top of hers. I looked over at Adara,who must have heard. Haymitch handed her the pictures,and she and Orion both spread the set out on the table in front of them.

"Wait...whats going on?" Orion asked,looking up at me,after a few minutes had passed.

"We're going to have a little brother of sister." Adara answered.

"You kids go outside,play with the goats for a few minutes,ok?" Haymitch told the kids,the looked about ready to protest,but Haymitch gave them a look that made them quickly hurry out the back door.

"How long have you two known?" He sighed.

"Not very long,day and a half,maybe." I replied. Katniss had taken the opportunity of the kids leaving to move over so she was practically in my lap,and shut down again. Haymitch must have remembered this from the past two times we've told him about pregnancies,and decided not to direct any questions at her. He simply slid over next to her on the other side and ran his hand up and down her back.

"It's alright,sweetheart..." He mumbled. From the look on his face,it was obvious that it was taking all his willpower to not go to the Hob for liquor.

It took a full hour before we could coax Katniss to say anything. I made Katniss lie down while Haymitch and I helped the kids with their homework,before we all went out for an early dinner.

At 5,we all got in the car and drove into town,and I pulled into the first restaurant we saw. Nobody argued,so we just went inside. I vaguely remembered going there before,but couldn't remember much about it.

"Why was Mommy so sad earlier?" Orion asked,looking up from whatever he was drawing with the set of crayons he had gotten when we walked in. Katniss buried her face in her hands,which diverted my attention. As I tried to calm her down,I noticed Haymitch getting up and dragging Orion behind him. Adara looked slightly uncomfortable,and excused herself to go to the bathroom.

I finally managed to calm Katniss down,just as Haymitch returns with the kids. Orion was sniffling,and Haymitch looked like he needed a drink,and the way today has gone,I don't blame him. In fact,I'd be the first to _join him_.

Orion wedged himself between myself and Katniss and reached up to hug her and kissed her on the cheek,before sitting back down next to Haymitch. The rest of the meal stuck mostly to small talk,or complete and utter silence. Sweet,blissful silence. When we got home,Katniss took the kids in the house,but I stayed outside.

"What exactly did you say to Orion?" I asked,following him until we got to his front porch. He turned to face me and explained matter-of-factly.

"I explained everything to him. Adara,too. It was the only thing I could think of. I went around the details,but I did tell them the main point."

"And what is your idea of the main point?" I asked,terrified that he told them that Katniss could potentially bleed to death,if things went horribly wrong fast enough.

"You know exactly what my point was,Mellark." He grumbled.

"You probably scared them both to death!" I yelled,before quickly realizing my poor choice of words.

Haymitch cracked up. "Calm down,kid. I told them that would only happen if she wasn't careful." Before I could further question his reasoning-or sanity-he closed the door in my face. I walked home,mumbling every obscenity I could think of.

I found Katniss in our room,curled up on the bed. I just crawled in next to her and held her tight. After a while,Katniss asked what Haymitch told the kids. I gently explained it,and before I could even finish-I was dealing with another panic attack.

_**A/N:** And I leave it at that. Keep you coming back for more. I'm finding this strangely easier to tell from Peeta's point of view. Some things are easier from Katniss's POV,some things Peeta's. I guess it's easier because Peeta is better with feelings,and there are a lot of those here. Anyway,tell me what you think! _


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N:** Sorry it's been a while. I've been meaning to get to this,but tumblr anons are vicious about me getting to other stories. But I'm doing this one now. I think from here out this is going to be Peeta's POV, obviously unless otherwise stated._

_**Peeta**_

"It's alright,Kat. It's alright..." I whispered in Katniss's ear,hoping to calm her down. She was crying and shaking,bad.

"No...Peeta. I-it...it's not ok." She pulled herself off my chest far enough to look me in the eye. Her breathing had steadied, and the tears had stopped. But she was still shaking like a leaf. "The kids are both so young. They're probably scared."

"Would it make you feel better if I talked to them?" I asked, combing my fingers through her hair. She nodded, and I kissed her gently before getting up to get the kids.

I opened Orion's door,and he was already asleep, bless his little heart. I felt terrible, but I bent down next to him and shook him lightly.

"Hey,buddy, you think you can stay awake for a little bit?" I asked when he finally opened his eyes. He nodded, and I picked him up,teddy bear and blanket in tow, and went next door to Adara's room. I knocked, and she opened the door.

"Yes dad?" She asked, slightly impatient.

"Come on, I need to talk to you." I said, bouncing Orion lightly to wake him up again.

"Now?" She asked. I nodded and she followed me down the stairs, no more questions asked. I put Orion one of the stools in front of the island in the middle of the kitchen and Adara climbed up next to him. I gave them each a few cookies, Adara looked at me like I had lost my mind.

"Dad, you ok? It's 9:30 and you're giving us cookies?" She asked, reaching over and putting her hand on my forehead.

"Very funny, Dara. I just need to talk to you about what Haymitch told you at dinner tonight."

Orion looked confused,like he forgot all about it. Adara shrugged and went back to her cookies.

"What about it?" Orion asked,with his mouth full.

"Well,your mother is worried that he might have scared you." I explained.

"Didn't scare me. He told me I have to take over hunting for a while,which is no big deal. Maybe I can get Hunter and Gale to go with me." Adara said.

"Adara, you know how I feel about you spending so much time with him."

"Dad, he's my friend." She said,rolling her eyes.

"That's what your mother said, and Gale still fell for her." I mumbled, low enough for her not to hear.

"He said I gotsta be extra careful and try and be helpful so Mommy doesn't hurt herself." Orion said.

"Did he say anything else?" I asked.

"No...Can I go back to bed now?" Orion yawned. I told him he could,and he said goodnight and went back upstairs. Adara was still sitting at the counter, like she was waiting for an explanation.

"We'll explain it when you're older, ok?" I asked,sitting on the chair next to her. She nodded and reluctantly went back upstairs.

I stayed downstairs a while longer. The reality of the past two days finally catching up with me. Without thinking I put my coat and shoes back on and slipped out the front door. _Don't get Haymitch. The last thing you need is for him to start drinking again. _I thought to myself as I walked down the street, out of the Victor's Village.

I wandered through town aimlessly, trying to decide what to do. Most of the people I could talk to, we either hadn't told yet or were mental basket cases. Eventually, I turned around and headed back to the Seam. _Just go to the Hob, talk to Ripper. Worked for Haymitch for so many years. _I pulled my coat closer, the spring temperatures far lower than usual, struggling to stay warm.

Even though it was going on 11 o'clock at night, the Hob was still bustling with activity. We needed a few things anyway,so I start making the rounds, making sure to buy something from everyone. I ended up at Ripper's stall.

"What are you doing here, boy?" Ripper snarled as I sat down, slamming a few coins on the counter.

"I need a break from reality..." I mumble, rubbing my palms over my eyes. Ripper puts a shot of something in front of me.

"You just be careful, you got a family to take care of." She warns before turning to another customer. Brushing off her comment, I downed whatever it was she gave me. I immediately lurched forward and coughed. A few people turned around, Ripper laughed, and Greasy Sae came running over. She hit my back a few times until I was able to talk. I reassured her that I was fine, and she went back to her stall,promising me she'd make something that would 'fix me up'.

"What the heck was that!" I yelled at Ripper, who was still laughing.

"You needed a break from reality, so I gave ya the strongest thing I got!" She said as she caught her breath. I turned around and went to go see Sae again.

"Crazy old bitch..." I grumbled as I walked over. Sae put out a bowl just as I got to her counter.

"If I were you, I'd eat this and go straight home. Go to bed. Sleep off that buzz before those kids of yours get up." She instructed,shoving a spoon in my hand.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I don't even remember last night. I woke up in bed,somewhere around 9, with Katniss sitting on the bed next to me.

"What happened last night..." I asked, sitting up. Not a good idea, my head started pounding, forcing me to lie back down.

"I have no clue. I found you passed out on the kitchen floor this morning. Whatever you did, at least you went shopping for me." Katniss said.

"I did?" I mumbled. She nodded and crawled in bed next to me, laying her head on my chest.

"I'm sorry...I should have told you I left...I'm so sorry." I mumbled a long string of apologies, even though I don't remember what happened after I left, I still felt bad about it. She finally shut me up,suddenly kissing me.

"It's ok..." She muttered as she drifted off to sleep. I wrapped my arm around her and kissed her neck. Slowly falling back to sleep with her safely in my arms.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: **I'm moving this ahead some. Katniss is roughly 4 months along now, and so far things have been fine. (Duh, otherwise I would have written about it!) Anyway- have you guys seen the movie yet? My mom and I went at midnight, and just...we couldn't form complete thoughts for about 20 minutes. My mom cried when Rue died, as expected, and I had to hold her hand. Makes up for me having her hand in a death grip when the Lionsgate logo came up. I almost cried a few times, but there were too many emotions, and I couldn't. But the fucking CAVE SCENE. My heart frigging skipped a beat when Katniss kissed Peeta's cheek. Nearly had a full on heart attack when they actually kissed. AND GALE. His reaction was priceless! Ok, enough of this, back to the story! (I'll put little bits and pieces of reactions in my other story updates though_

* * *

><p>"I'm home!" Adara calls from the kitchen. I finally got Orion to fall asleep, so I leave his bedroom and go downstairs to find my daughter.<p>

"How are Mom and Rion feeling?" She asks, skinning a rabbit at the counter. Katniss and Orion had been sick all week, and they only seemed to be getting worse by the day. Katniss has it easier than Orion, though. The poor boy can't keep anything down.

"Your mother is the same, really. Your brother seems to be making progress, though. I managed to feed him a piece of bread. So far he's kept it down." I said. From upstairs, someone starts violently coughing. I think I spoke too soon. Adara looks at me urgently, and I run up the stairs to my son's room. Orion is still fast asleep, which is a relief. But that means that Katniss is the one getting sick. Which frightens me even more. She isn't in bed when I get to our room, but I find her in the bathroom, propped up against the door.

"Kat, you ok?" I asks, frantically.

"I'm fine, Peeta. I'm pretty sure it's just morning sickness." She mumbles. I help her to stand up again and half lead, half carry her back to bed, moving the trash can closer to the side of the bed.

"Call me if you need anything." I kiss her forehead lightly and turn the lights off as I Ieave the room and head back downstairs. By the time I get back to the kitchen, Adara has the rabbit completely skinned and is working on a squirrel. I take a pot out and start chopping up vegetables and cubing the rabbit. After she finishes skinning the remaining squirrels and a second rabbit, I offer the go with her to the Hob. Besides the fact I don't like her going over there alone, I need some fresh air. Haymitch comes over to check up on us with perfect timing and volunteers to watch Katniss and Orion while Adara and I are gone.

* * *

><p>Watching Adara at the Hob is like watching Katniss. A few years back, Katniss and I told her that anything she earns at the Hob is hers to keep. Between our bottomless bank accounts, we don't need it, anyway.<p>

"And how exactly is that fair? Just look at this, I got him clean in the eye. Not a spot of blood on this pelt. Now. Are you going to give me a fair price, or am I taking my business elsewhere?" Adara tells the woman running the stall. "6 weeks until winter hits, and temperatures are already dropping. If you give me what I'm asking, you can double it easily within a few days. The people are going to want warm gloves and boots. I'm giving you a fair price for the number of squirrel pelts I have, here."

The woman seemed to consider what Adara said before making another offer. "How about this, girl? I'll split you the difference, and I'll give you this for that little brother of yours." She says, pulling out a stuffed dog from under the counter. Adara sighs.

"Ok, deal. But only because Orion's been sick, and I want to cheer him up a little." She says, holding her hand out. The woman shakes it, presses a few coins into her hand and passes her the stuffed dog. We walk across the building to Greasy Sae's stall.

"That was nice of you, Dara. Thinking of your little brother." I tell her.

"Ah, I was getting tired of haggling with her anyway." she shrugs. I roll my eyes just as we get to Greasy Sae's stall.

"The Mellark's minus two! How are Katniss and Orion feeling?" She asks as Adara flings her game bag onto the counter and pulls her self onto a stool.

"Slowly but surely getting better. Well, Orion anyway. Hard to tell with Katniss. Morning sickness just keeps getting worse, at least that what she says it is." I explain, sitting next to Adara.

"Well, I'll give you two a little something to take home to them. What do you have for me today, Adara?"

"A couple squirrels and a rabbit. Nothing more exciting, unfortunately. But, then again, anything more exciting would have given dad a heart attack." Adara said, emptying her game bag. She and Sae both laughing. Adara must have known what was coming, because she turned to me and said- "Dad, save the stories. We've all heard them a million times." She smiles and goes back to her soup.

"You better watch yourself, sweetheart. Haymitch could always use some help with his geese, and he has some stories himself." I teased.

"I can take care of those stupid geese." She said, pulling her bow off her back and pulling the string back and letting it go. But when she lets go, the string snaps and lashes the both of us. A good deal of people turn around and go silent. Adara turns bright red. "Um, who'd be willing to trade me for a new bow string?" She calls. Most of the people laugh and one of the venders nearby offers to fix it for her. She accepts, but insists on paying him. Greasy Sae packages up some soup for Katniss and Orion and we leave for home.

* * *

><p>We found Haymitch passed out on the couch when we got home, and decide to just leave him there until our dinners ready. I reheat Greasy Sae's soup for Orion and Katniss, since it seemed like it would be easier for them to keep down. Adara volunteers to take Orion's food to him, since she still had the stuffed dog to give him. I creep into Katniss and I's bedroom quietly, only to find Katniss was already awake.<p>

"Hi, Kat." I say, smiling.

"Hi, Peeta. What's that?" She asks.

"Something Greasy Sae made for you and Orion while Adara and I were at the Hob this afternoon." I say, sitting at the side of the bed. She tries to take the warm bowl from my hands, but I take her hand off.

"You feed me when I'm sick. Let me." I whisper. Katniss sighs lightly but complies. I stay with her until she falls asleep.

Adara must have already woken Haymitch up, because as soon as I close the door, I can hear him laughing. I decide to quickly check on Orion before going to get some food for myself. He's sitting in his bed, eating with one hand while tightly holding the stuffed dog Adara got him to his chest.

"Looks like somebody's feeling better." I say from the doorway. Orion glances up and grins.

"Yup! Look what Dara got me!" He holds up the stuffed dog and then hugs it tightly again.

"I know, buddy. I'll come back up in a little bit and read you a story, ok?" I ask. He nods and goes back to his soup.

I go downstairs and into the kitchen, finding Adara and Haymitch at the table.

"There you are! Where you been?" Haymitch calls. I get myself a bowl of stew before joining them at the table.

"With Katniss, for the most part. Wanted to make sure she ate and went back to sleep." I say, before tucking into my dinner. For the most part, I just listen to Adara and Haymitch talk. I'm still amazed at how different he is since he sobered up. He still treats Katniss and I the same, though that's probably for the better. He's even nice to _Effie, _when she comes to visit, which is still terrifying, even though I know he's doing it to mess with her. After I finish, I leave the two of them alone to go read to Orion.

* * *

><p>Adara promises to get herself to bed, so I can take a shower. I only agree since it's been a few days since I last showered. Katniss appears to still be asleep when I walk into the bedroom, so I don't turn the bathroom lights on until I close the door. I think she's been calmer in this past week than she has been since we found out she's pregnant. I know she's stressed, but it still stings when I try to kiss her and she pushes me away. The warm water feels great, and I instantly feel less grimy. I hear the door hinges squeak and I turn around. Katniss is standing in the door, with a blanket wrapped around her.<p>

"Peeta?" She asks.

"Yeah, Kat?"

"It's getting cold in there...can I stay in here?"

"Of course. You can get in with me, if you want." I say without thinking. But Katniss doesn't seem to mind, she closes the door and gets undressed before joining me in the shower. She wraps her arms around my neck, and my hands find the small of her back as I kiss the top of her head.

"You feeling better?" I ask, ducking my head to kiss her neck. She nods.

"Much," She mumbles as her lips catch mine. She catches me off guard, and her back ends up against the shower wall. I move one of my hands to hold her hip, while the other moves to the wall as a support. One of her hands slips down south and grabs my manhood. I groan, and she smiles. Two can play to that game. My hand slide up her side to her chest, and she tenses up. I quickly slide my hand back down. I forgot how sensitive she gets when she's pregnant. I easily ignore the soap that assaults my back at random with Katniss distracting me. The water eventually shuts off automatically, and I groan out of frustration. I fumble for the manual controls and we're suddenly blasted by cold water. The way things are going, we aren't going to need warm water, anyway. My hand runs over her stomach, and I pick her up. Her legs wrap around my waist and I freeze. Something screams in the back of my mind, reminding me that we have to be careful. Katniss senses my anxiety and mumbles into my neck, "Nobody ever said anything about sex."

I'm still nervous, and Katniss is obviously getting impatient. She shifts her hips and slowly lowers herself onto me. We both groan, and I forget whatever it was I had been worried about. We've never had sex in the shower before. The bedroom wall,sure. A million times. I take a few deep breaths before I pin Katniss against the wall again. I try and take it slow, which annoys Katniss to end. My lips stay locked to hers and when she climaxes, she bites my lip too keep quiet. That sends me over the edge, and we slide down to the shower floor, exchanging lazy kisses.

"You ok?" I ask, running my hand over her stomach, which has recently acquired a slight bump.

"I think so," She says.

When I regain my composure, I turn off the water and help Katniss up. The dryer comes on as soon as we step out, and I pick her up again to carry her back to bed.

"I love you." I whisper, when we're both under the covers, slowly starting to fall asleep.

"I love you too," She mutters, resting her head on my chest as she finally drifts off.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: **That, ladies and gentleman, is a result of picturing Peeta Mellark naked. I never intended for that to happen! Oh well. I beat around the bush, so it isn't too bad. Did I ever say anything about a Haymitch story here? Anyway, I posted that forever ago and NO REVIEWS YET? You know what to do, guys. ;)_


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